Barry Pashak

Leonard Barry Pashak (21 April 1937 – 3 February 2021) was a college instructor and a Canadian provincial and federal level politician.[1] He served as member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1986 to 1993 sitting with the opposition New Democratic Party caucus. He briefly served as leader for The Equity Party, a minor Alberta provincial party from 2000 to 2001.

Barry Pashak
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office 1986–1993
Preceded by	John Zaozirny
Succeeded by	District abolished
Constituency	Calgary-Forest Lawn
Leader of The Equity Party
In office 2000–2001
Preceded by	Emil van der Poorten
Succeeded by	Brent Johner
Personal details
Born	Leonard Barry Pashak April 21, 1937 Calgary, Alberta
Died	February 3, 2021 (aged 83) Calgary, Alberta
Political party	Alberta NDP The Equity Party
Spouse(s)	Wilda Pashak
Occupation	college instructor, politician

Early life and career

Pashak was born in Calgary on 21 April 1937.[2] He grew up in the mission district of Calgary,[3] and attended Holy Angels School and St. Mary's School. He studied engineering at the University of Oklahoma and obtained a Bachelor of Science from the University of Calgary in 1962.[2] He earned a Master of Arts in Sociology from the University of Calgary in 1971.[2][3] The title of his thesis was "The Populist characteristics of the Social Credit movement in Alberta". He subsequently taught mathematics and then sociology and political science at Mount Royal University for more than 25 years.[2]

Political career

Perennial candidate

1971 Alberta general election: Calgary-North Hill
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Roy Farran	4,961	43.81%	–
	Social Credit	Robert A. Simpson	4,900	43.27%	–
	New Democratic	Barry Pashak	1,341	11.84%	–
	Independent	Carl L. Riech	121	1.07%	–
Total			11,323	–	–
Rejected, spoiled and declined			104	–	–
Eligible electors / turnout			16,080	71.06%	–
	Progressive Conservative pickup new district.
Source(s) Source: "Calgary-North Hill Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

Pashak got his start as a perennial candidate by running for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1971 Alberta general election as a candidate for the Alberta New Democrats in the electoral district of Calgary-North Hill. He finished a distant third out of fourth place in the hotly contested race behind incumbent Social Credit MLA Robert Simpson and winning Progressive Conservative candidate Roy Farran.[4]

A year later, Pashak ran in his first federal election. He stood as a federal New Democratic Party candidate running in the 1972 federal election in the Calgary North federal electoral district. Pashak once again finished a distant third place out of five candidates losing to Progressive Conservative incumbent Eldon Woolliams.[5]

Pashak attempted a second run at federal politics running for a seat in the 1979 federal election. For the third time he finished third place in his district. He ran in the federal electoral district of Calgary East for the NDP. He was defeated by Progressive Conservative incumbent John Kushner and also finished behind former MLA Albert Ludwig in the field of seven candidates.[6]

The minority government of Joe Clark fell less than a year later resulting in the 1980 federal election. Pashak ran for a second time in the electoral district of Calgary East. The election was a virtual rerun with Pashak facing Kushner and Ludwig for the second time. On election night Pashak finished third out of the eight candidates but lost almost 700 votes from his 1979 total. He finished behind Kushner and Ludwig respectively.[7]

Pashak returned to provincial politics running as a candidate in the 1982 provincial election in the electoral district of Calgary-Buffalo. He finished a distant third out of fourth place for the fifth time in his career behind winner Progressive Conservative candidate Brian Lee and defeated incumbent Tom Sindlinger.[8]

Two years later Pashak attempted his fourth and final run at federal politics running in the electoral district of Calgary East for the third straight time. He finished a distant third out of eighth place in the open district behind winner Progressive Conservative candidate Alex Kindy and former Mayor Rod Sykes.[9]

Legislative assembly

Pashak made an electoral breakthrough when he ran for a seat in the 1986 provincial election in the electoral district of Calgary-Forest Lawn. The race was hotly contested with nine candidates running. Pashak won the open district on heavy vote splitting finishing just ahead of Progressive Conservative candidate Moe Amery to win his first term in office.[10]

He ran for a second term in office in the 1989 provincial election. Pashak faced off for the second time against Amery. Both candidates increased their popular vote in the hotly contested race. Pashak defeated Amery and two other candidates by a much wider margin then in 1986 to return to office.[11]

The electoral district of Calgary-Forest Lawn was abolished to redistribution in 1993. Pashak ran for re-election in the provincial electoral district of Calgary-East. For the third time in a row Pashak faced Amery. Amery's vote surged in the new district while Pashak's popular vote sank from the previous general election. Pashak finished a distant second out of five candidates.[12]

Later life

Pashak briefly returned to the Alberta provincial political scene in 2000 to become leader of The Equity Party, a minor centrist political party in Alberta.[13] He took up competitive bridge after retiring from politics.[3] He later endorsed Dave Taylor in the latter's run for leadership of the Alberta Liberal Party in 2008.[14] Taylor ultimately finished runner-up to David Swann.[15]

Pashak died on 3 February 2021, in Calgary, at the age of 83.[3]

References

1. Guide Parlementaire Canadien (in French). P. G. Normandin. ISBN 978-0-921925-31-6.
2. Herring, Jason (February 6, 2021). "Leonard 'Barry' Pashak – Obituary". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
3. "Barry Pashak, two-term NDP MLA in Calgary, dies at 83". Calgary Herald. February 6, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
4. "Calgary-North Hill election results 1971". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
5. "Calgary North results". Parliament of Canada. October 30, 1972. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
6. "Calgary East results". Parliament of Canada. May 22, 1979. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
7. "Calgary East results". Parliament of Canada. February 18, 1980. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
8. "Calgary-Buffalo election results 1982". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
9. "Calgary East results". Parliament of Canada. September 4, 1984. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
10. "Calgary-Forest Lawn election results 1986". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
11. "Calgary-Forest Lawn election results 1989". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
12. "Calgary-East election results 1993". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
13. "Staking a claim on the 'centre-left'". Calgary Herald. January 11, 2000. p. B4. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
14. "Former NDP MLA Barry Pashak Endorses Dave". Dave Taylor Leadership campaign. September 22, 2008. Archived from the original on September 22, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
15. Lowrie, Morgan (December 13, 2008). "Alberta Liberals elect new leader". CTV News. Retrieved February 6, 2021.

External links

• Legislative Assembly of Alberta Members Listing